12.10.05 - The USA won a CONCACAF Final Round Group, for the first time in history, after defeating visiting Panama by a score of 2:0 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts during the 2006 CONCACAF World Cup Qualification Match Day 10 on Wednesday evening.
After securing one of the three direct qualification berths to the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany (along with Mexico and Costa Rica), the USA (7-2-1, 22 Points) achieved their first-ever CONCACAF Final Round Title by finishing ahead of Mexico (7-2-1, 22 Points) on the goal difference tiebreaker between the two teams during the head-to-head World Cup Qualification (3 to 2).
After a first half without goals in Foxboro on Wednesday, Kyle Martino got the USA on the board in the 53rd minute of the second half. Taylor Twellman had the second goal five minutes later in the win over last-placed Panama (0-8-2, 2 Points).
Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago (4-5-1, 13 Points) earned the CONCACAF Final Round’s Fourth-place playoff berth after posting a 2:1 home-victory over Mexico at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on Wednesday.
Jaime Lozano gave the tricolor a 1:0 lead in the 38th minute, but Stern John leveled the match for the soca warriors in the 42nd minute-mark. John would scored the game-winner in the 61st minute of the second half as Trinidad & Tobago will now meet Bahrain of the Asia Football Confederation in a home-and-away series next month for a berth to the 2006 FIFA World Cup™.
Mexico’s loss is the first against a Caribbean nation in World Cup Qualification since 23 July 2000, when the soca warriors defeated the tricolor 1:0 in a Group C encounter in Port of Spain during the CONCACAF Semifinal Round.
Elsewhere, Guatemala (3-5-2, 11 Points) were eliminated from a possible playoff spot to the World Cup despite topping visiting Costa Rica (5-4-1, 16 Points) 3:1 at the Estadio Mateo Flores in Ciudad de Guatemala on Wednesday.
Elmer Ponciano opened the scoring for the chapines in the second minute and then Freddy Garcia added another in the 15th minute-mark. Carlos Ruiz increased the lead to 3:0 in the 31st minute, but Roy Myrie got one back for the ticos in the 48th minute of the second half.
2006 CONCACAF WORLD CUP QUALIFYING – FINAL ROUND
Match Day 10
12.10.2005: Foxboro, Massachusetts USA; Gillette Stadium
USA – PANAMA 2:0 (0:0)
Kyle MARTINO 53’; Taylor TWELLMAN 58’
R: Gilberto ALCALA (MEX)
12.10.2005: Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO; Hasely Crawford Stadium
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO – MEXICO 2:1 (1:1)
Stern JOHN 42’, 61’ – Jaime LOZANO 38’
R: Jose PINEDA (HON)
12.10.2005: Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA; Estadio Mateo Flores
GUATEMALA – COSTA RICA 3:1 (3:0)
Elmer PONCIANO 2’; Freddy GARCIA 15’; Carlos RUIZ 31’ – Roy MYRIE 48’
R: Brian HALL (USA)
